Golf ranges have typical configurations. In payment for the use of the range, a player purchases a quantity of golf balls at the entry point to the range. The balls may be stored in buckets or dispensed into a bucket from a hopper. The player takes the balls to the tee area and hits the balls onto the range. The range has various markers for distance placed throughout the range. A player hits the ball and makes a visual estimate of the distance the ball traveled based on the landing location of the ball relative to the distance markers. Players would benefit from a system capable of accurately determining the distance of ball travel.
RFID tags embedded in golf balls have been used to allow a player to detect the distance of travel of a golf ball. For example, a player may use a handheld reader to detect the location of a golf ball after it is hit. However, some players may not wish to be burdened with a handheld reader during play.
Golf balls having RFID tags have been used in conjunction with ball collectors capable of reading the tags to determine the distance traveled by a golf ball hit onto a driving range.